How It Should Be
by bigbagofweird
Summary: My contribution to the Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda Season Two ficathon. My assigned episode is "It Should've Been Lorelai".
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Thanks go to Robinpoppins and Filo for organizing the CWS! Thanks to those in the writing sessions for the encouragement and to those that helped with the title selection! Thanks to LorelaiSquared for offering her input on this chapter, and many much thanks to Jewels for being such an amazing beta! BDY!**

_Why would she tell me that? It should've been me? The thought didn't even cross my mind until she said something. Why did she say anything? Why do I let her get into my head?_ "Argh!" Lorelai yelled, gaining the attention of everyone in the square. She felt her cheeks heat up. Thankfully, her embarrassment was shrouded in darkness.

She resumed pacing, wearing a path in the grass. She wasn't sure what brought her out at this time of night to walk the square. The goal was for her to clear her head so she could sleep, but she couldn't get rid of the thoughts her mother planted in her brain. She really wished that she had an impartial party to talk to. Someone who would help her sort out her thoughts.

During her mental tirade, something from across the street caught her eye. She stopped pacing and looked over to the diner. Luke was absorbed in his nightly cleaning process. She stood there studying his movements. He was very methodical in how and what he cleaned. She noticed that about him before, but right now it had a calming effect on her overwrought mind.

Without thought, her legs started moving toward the diner. She wasn't aware that Luke had stopped what he was doing, his eyes focused on her. He quickly crossed over to the door and unlocked and opened it for her to enter.

Lorelai walked up the steps, brushing past Luke. She automatically went to the counter and plopped on a stool, sighing loudly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked as he made his way to his spot behind the counter. While waiting for her answer, he busied himself with pouring a cup of coffee and setting it in front of her.

Lorelai sat there quietly, deep in thought, sipping her coffee. She debated on how much to tell him. She needed an unbiased opinion, but was Luke the right person for the job? She wasn't sure.

"I don't know," she said honestly.

"I'm going to clean. Feel free to talk if you want." He squeezed her hand before he went back to his routine.

He started stacking the chairs on top of the tables, wondering what was going on with Lorelai. He knew something was wrong because she was eerily quiet. Not to mention that she didn't even demand coffee.

Lorelai turned around with her back leaning against the counter and watched Luke.

"Chris is in town, and he brought his girlfriend."

Luke's body noticeably tensed at the mention of Chris' name.

Lorelai saw his reaction but wasn't sure what it meant so she continued, "She's very pretty and perky, and...I don't know. She wanted to spend time with Rory which is fine, but my mom had a very negative reaction to the idea of Sherry. She said some things that made me start thinking, and I don't like where my mind went."

Luke paused briefly in his rounds and nodded in her direction, trying to encourage her to continue.

"She said that he got his life together with _that_ woman, and it should've been me. Should it have been me? Why after all these years did he finally 'find' himself and make a life with someone else? What is so wrong with me that he couldn't have been here for Rory and I? Am I that much of a pain in the ass that he decided to leave and not see Rory grow up? Is it all my fault that he was never truly a father to her?" she questioned as tears ran down her face. She covered her face with her hands hoping he wouldn't notice the crying.

Luke wasn't sure what to do. He didn't always respond well to a woman's emotions, but this was Lorelai, and she was hurting. He would do anything to take the pain away even if the man wasn't worth crying over. He walked up to her and put his arms around her, holding her head to his chest.

The feel of his arms around her caused the flood gates to open. She sobbed into him, releasing all the frustration and unease she felt.

He rubbed her back in circles, trying to calm her. "Shh. It's okay. I've got you," he whispered in her ear, brushing her hair back from her tear stained cheeks. "It has nothing to do with you. Chris is an idiot. He doesn't deserve you or Rory." He noticed the tears were slowing.

Lorelai sniffled, glancing up at him, trying to figure out if he was just placating her or if he really meant what he said. What she saw in his eyes was sincerity. Luke had always been truthful with her. She had no reason to doubt his honesty now.

As Lorelai stared into Luke's eyes, she felt a peace wash over her. Here was this man who always made her feel better. Whether it was sneaking her an extra slice of pie because she had a rough day, or running to her rescue as something else at the crap shack collapsed, he was always there, always willing to fix things. He knew her better than anyone, yet he continued to take care of her, seemed to enjoy her company even when she was driving him insane. Sighing, she rested her head against his chest again.

What would make one man leave and another stay? She figured she really couldn't compare the two relationships since Luke was her friend and Chris had been...well, he had been her first. Her first kiss, her first lover, and the father of her first child. Possibly he was her first love, but not a love that a successful marriage could have been built upon. With Chris it was more about how much they could push the limits than about love. She could do without Chris in her life. So why was she so upset about what her mom said? She obviously had something unresolved going on inside of her.

Her mind wandered back to the present. Luke. Her friendship with him was very important to her. She knew in her heart that she could not live without him. Here with Luke's arms around her, she felt safe and secure. She exalted in the feeling and allowed it to wash over her body and soul. She never wanted the moment to end.

Meeting Luke's eyes again, she slipped her hand up to Luke's face, gently stroking his cheek.

"You are a good guy, Luke Danes," she said quietly, spellbound by the look in his eyes. There she saw tenderness and devotion. Like a bee to honey, she was drawn to it. She stood up, sliding against him, elongating her body so they could be face to face. Luke's eyes widened as she softly brushed her lips against his.

Lorelai felt her pulse quicken at the brief contact. She moved for another pass against his lips, and this time Luke met her halfway. He pressed his lips firmly to hers causing her to grab his shirt with her fists, pulling him closer. His arms tightened around her, making sure that there was no space left between them.

The kiss that started sweet, quickly grew sensual as their lips moved against each other. When tongues became involved, their arousal amped up tenfold. Heat radiated off their bodies, encompassing their thoughts and desires. Long suppressed feelings were bubbling to the surface, and neither one could stop them.

After several minutes, reason entered Luke's mind. _I can't be kissing Lorelai, _he thought. He started pulling away from her: he didn't want the contact to end, but she had just been crying over another man. She was distraught, and he didn't want to take advantage of her vulnerability. If the kiss was ever repeated, he wanted her whole mind and heart to be involved, not just the fragments.

Her eyes popped open as she felt cold seep into her body where there had been heat. She realized that Luke was moving away from her.

"What's going on, Luke?"

Luke observed her from across the diner and saw the look of hurt come into her eyes.

"You're not ready for this, Lorelai."

"What do you mean 'not ready for this'? I was a very willing participant. And if I'm not mistaken, so were you," she accused, her body sagging against the counter.

"I just mean that not twenty minutes ago, you were crying over Christopher."

"I wasn't crying over Chris. I was crying over the circumstances that had to do with Chris."

"Lorelai, I've wanted this for a long time. I've waited to kiss you like that for so long," he assured her. "But I will not play second fiddle to that schmuck. If you want something to happen between us, I want you to be sure because there will be _no_ going back."

She looked at him with yearning in her eyes and she nodded in agreement. She owed it to him to be certain. Slowly, she walked toward the door and gave him one last glance over her shoulder.

She called out, "I'll be back," as she moved out the door.

"And I'll be waiting," he said to himself.

Lorelai felt defeated walking back to her house. She went into Luke's to possibly talk and receive some moral support, but what she came away with was much more confusing and yet somehow invigorating. He cared about her. Really cared. And not in the 'just friends' way. He desired her. She could feel it in the kiss and the way he held her. She sighed as she tore her thoughts away from Luke. She needed to wade through all the emotional turmoil Chris had put her through before she could come to terms with her first amazing kiss with Luke.

Although, now that she thought about it, did Chris deserve any consideration? He was the one to leave. He was the one that used her as an excuse to be an ass for so many years. Sure she wouldn't marry him, but did that give him a right to skip out on Rory or her? He left with not so much as a single glance. His contact with Rory was sporadic at best. Birthdays and Christmas' were hit or miss. No one could depend on him for anything. At least not until recently; recently he had been very attentive. Calling when he said he would. Sending gifts for special occasions. She shook her head. Why couldn't he have recognized his responsibility sooner? Why had it taken a woman who wasn't her to cause this change in him?

She arrived at the house, hurrying up the front steps, through the door, and up the stairs before she ran into Rory. If Rory saw her, she would know something was wrong and press her for answers she wasn't prepared to give at this moment.

Making it safely into her room, she closed the door and kicked off her shoes. Picking up the pile of crumpled pajamas on the floor, she started to undress. She was tired from her thoughts waging war on each other, but she was still restless. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep until everything was resolved in her mind. This was going to be a long night.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Many much thanks to Jewels for being a wonderful beta! Also, a huge thanks to those involved in the writing sessions! They are very motivational! The final chapter will be following this one asap. Thanks!**

Lorelai turned over onto her stomach and covered her head with the pillow attempting to keep the sun and the noise from alluring her awake. The night was long, and the last thing she wanted to do right now was get up.

"Mom, wake up! Mom! We have things to do," Rory yelled up the stairs. "Don't make me come up there!"

Lorelai groaned, hearing Rory's voice faintly downstairs. She hunkered down deeper under her covers to escape the inevitable.

Rory didn't hear a peep from her mom so she slowly walked up the stairs to her room and threw the door open. All she saw was a lump under the covers that was trying in vain to disappear.

Rory went over to the end of the bed and started to pull the covers down, revealing a pajama clad body.

Lorelai threw a pillow in the direction she was sure Rory was standing but missed. "Rory," she whined, slowly turning over onto her back with her hands over her eyes. "I just needed a few more minutes."

"We have plans today. I can't let you sleep the morning away." Rory got out a list from her pocket and started reading it off. "Luke's for breakfast, followed by shopping at Doose's. Then we come home with the groceries, put them away, and head to the mall for some sale shopping. And we can't forget lunch in the food court. This afternoon will be a marathon of musicals."

Lorelai moved her hands away from her eyes, glaring at Rory. "You are so annoying."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Rory said, pointing a finger at her mother. "Remove yourself from that bed, grab a shower, and get dressed. And hurry. I'm starved. That Sherry doesn't know how to eat," she said, shaking her head and retreating back downstairs.

Lorelai sighed, rolling out of bed. She grabbed some clothes and dragged herself into the bathroom. As she went through her morning rituals, her thoughts ventured to the conclusions she arrived at the previous night. For once, her heart and head are in complete agreement with each other. She now knew with certainty what she wanted. The hard part was going to be assuring a certain person of her sincerity.

Finishing her hair and makeup, she glanced at herself in the mirror. She appeared to be ready to go. She was nervous about seeing Luke in the diner this morning. She really needed to talk to him, but would not be able to until later since Rory had planned out her entire day. She also knew that she should broach the subject of Luke with Rory, too. She wanted Rory to be comfortable with the prospect of Luke being a part of their lives as more than just the diner man. Although, he was always more than that to both of them.

Adjusting her sweater, she went to find Rory to make their trek to the diner.

xoxoxoxo

Luke searched the square for any signs of Rory and Lorelai. Even though he knew she had a lot to think about, he didn't want it to keep her from coming in.

His mind was spinning after the kiss. He was glad that he had the presence of mind to be able to step away from her because he could have let the kiss consume him. The feel of her in his arms was amazing. She fit perfectly. He thought that if he ever did get her into his arms that he would never be able to let go. But he did let go. It was the right decision. He wanted her to be certain that it was him, Luke Danes, that she wanted, and no one else.

He heard them before he saw them. Rory was bouncing around her mom, excitedly chattering about something. They were so full of life and that's one of the things he admired most about them. People were so easily sucked into their world just by being in the same room with them.

He noticed Rory walking away from Lorelai with a wave, and Lorelai stopping in front of the diner, meeting his eyes and smiling. _So far so good_, he thought. _She's still looking at me. _

She moved her way through the door and stood before him.

"Hey," he said. _Very eloquent, Danes_.

"Hey," she returned.

"You all alone this morning?" he asked.

"No, Rory's with me. She just had to run an errand."

"Well, take whatever empty table you want," he stated, gesturing around the diner.

"Okay."

"You okay?"

She sighed, "Yeah, just tired. Had a long, sleepless night."

"Go have a seat. I'll bring you some coffee."

She beamed at him. "Thanks. You know just what a girl needs."

He smiled in return, turning around to grab the coffee pot. He walked over to the table just as Rory came barreling through the door. She scooted into a chair and said, "Me too, please."

Luke rolled his eyes and murmured, "Junkies."

He circled the diner with the coffee pot, giving refills and taking orders. He heard bits of conversation coming from Lorelai and Rory's table. He wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but their discussion wasn't exactly in a private place. His interest perked up when he heard the words Chris, Sherry, and family. He decided to go take their orders when Rory quickly got up and left again.

He stopped beside Lorelai and asked, "What can I get you?"

"Oh, uh, I'm not sure. Rory and I were talking and never decided. I'll just wait until she gets back to order."

"I'll be right over there," he said, pointing to the counter.

Lorelai thought it was cute that Luke seemed a little nervous around her. Her mind starting going over the agenda for the day, trying to figure out the best time to discuss things with Luke. She didn't come to any conclusions when she heard her name being called. She turned her head to where the voice was coming from and saw Sherry and Christopher walking her way.

Sherry fired many questions at her about Rory's whereabouts and then decided to go find her. Lorelai was left with Chris who slid into a seat across from her. They smiled at each other.

"So, quaint evening of theater last night," he said with amusement.

"Ah yes, the Gilmore family players rival the Barrymores for their sophisticated, dramatic productions," she quipped.

"I never thought she'd freak over Rory not being there like that. I never wanted to put you in that position."

"Oh, you couldn't have known," she said, dismissing his concerns.

"I mean, Rory's missed the occasional dinner before."

"Yeah, well, this was compounded by other things."

"What other things?" he asked.

"You should know as well as I that when it comes to Emily Gilmore, it's never simple," she stated.

"Got it. Sherry had a really good time with Rory last night, and I hope Rory did too. I'm glad they were able to spend some time together. They are both very important to me."

"That's great, Chris. I'm glad you found someone," she said sincerely.

"Sherry is very impressed with Rory, and so am I. She's a great kid, Lor. It's been great getting to know her better."

Lorelai did a mental eye roll, cleared her throat, and said, "You could have gotten to know her a lot sooner. I mean, you could have been a part of the whole raising the kid thing with me."

"You wouldn't marry me. I tried to get you to, but you wouldn't even consider it."

"What does marrying me have to do with it? It shouldn't have stopped you from being there for your daughter." Lorelai glanced around the diner and noticed everyone was watching them.

"Lor, you didn't want me around, so I left." Chris' voice was getting progressively louder.

Incredulous, Lorelai reasoned, "See, that's not how I see it. I stayed awake most of the night reliving events from the past, trying to come to terms with things that have happened in my life, and I don't ever recall telling you to leave."

"Saying no to a marriage was as good as telling me that."

"Okay, even if I allow you that one flawed excuse, what does that really have to do with being a father to Rory? We've always been here. You had access. I would never have denied you a relationship with her."

"I was too young, Lor. I needed to live a little and find myself."

"Live a little? What do you think I've been doing for the past 17 years? I was right here, living, raising our daughter by _myself_. I was just as young as you were, and yet I did what I was supposed to do," she said forcefully.

"We were supposed to get married."

She slapped her head in exasperation. "Whatever, Christopher. I think it's time for you to go," she said standing up, gesturing to the door.

"Fine. See you around." Without a second glance, he walked out the door.

Lorelai saw him find Rory and Sherry, and give Rory a hug goodbye. Lorelai stood by the window, wondering how the conversation got so out of control. She felt a presence beside her. Glancing over her shoulder, she smiled sheepishly at Luke.

"You did nothing wrong," Luke said with conviction.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," he said, squeezing her shoulder.

She turned around to face him and was about to say something, but Rory ran back into the diner and returned to her seat.

"I'm starved, let's order," Rory stated.

Lorelai and Rory placed their orders, ate their food, and walked up to the cash register to pay as Luke moved behind it to ring them up.

Lorelai looked over at Rory and said, "Hey, sweets, go wait for me outside. I'll be right out."

"Okay," she said a little puzzled. Turning to go she called over her shoulder, "Thanks, Luke!"

Lorelai grabbed Luke's hand, and pulled him behind the curtain.

"Luke, I really want to talk to you, but Rory and I kind of have plans all day, so I'll be by later if that's okay."

"Sure, I'll be here."

"Great. Thanks." She rose up on her tip toes, kissed him on the cheek, and whispered in his ear, "I'll talk to you later then."

"Later," Luke repeated in a daze, lightly rubbing his cheek.

xoxoxoxo

Lorelai joined Rory outside.

Rory gave her a peculiar look and asked as they began to walk, "What was that about?"

"Well, how would you feel if Luke and I, uh, started dating?"

Rory's eyebrows shot up. "Dating? When did this happen?"

"Um, see, we're not dating yet. But I, uh, hope to be soon." Lorelai chanced a glance at Rory to gauge her reaction.

"You dating Luke."

"Yes, if it all works out after I talk to him."

"Why wouldn't it?"

"See, last night after the Friday night dinner from hell, I started thinking about some things mom said about your dad and I."

Rory gave Lorelai a dumbfounded look.

"Yeah, I know. Pigs must be flying." Lorelai continued, "I don't usually dwell too much on things mom says, but I don't know, I couldn't stop thinking about this."

"What did she say?" Rory asked very curious.

"She said 'Christopher got his life together with _that_ woman and it should've been you'. You know up until that point the thought had never entered my mind. That's not to say that there aren't pangs of jealousy, but I really am happy for him."

"Yeah, I really think Sherry is good for him."

"I think that's great, but I guess there was always a small part of me that saw the three of us as a family, someday, and so when mom said that, I started thinking about it. I wondered a lot of things about your dad that I really don't want to get into with you," Lorelai said, taking a breath. "However, last night during my musings, I discovered that at some point the male lead in those family fantasies had changed."

"To whom?"

"To Luke. Rory, you know as well as I do what an amazing man Luke is. He has really been the only man that has been a constant in my life, in _our_ lives really, and I finally saw him as not just our food provider but as a very attractive man that cares about us."

"Wow, Mom. Luke, really?" She looked at her mom who was nodding her head yes. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I mean, I can see the chemistry between you two, and I've always known he's liked you so it only makes sense."

"Are you okay with this?"

"Yeah, I think so. All I want is for you to be happy," Rory said with conviction. "So has Luke declared his feelings?"

As they walked around the square, Lorelai filled Rory in on the happenings of the night before in the diner, and her night spent wrestling with her thoughts. She convinced Rory that she was fine to go along with the set plans for the day and that she and Luke would talk later.

Lorelai was anxious to have that talk.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks once again to Jewels for being so quick, great, and perfect in every way! Thanks to Filo for reading over the smut and for your suggestions! And yes, I have written my very first, very lite smut. I hope you enjoy!**

Pacing back and forth across his apartment, he stopped briefly to glance out the window. Luke was becoming unglued. After the awkward display in the diner this morning, Lorelai had kissed him on the cheek and said she would talk to him later. What did later mean? It was 9:30 in the evening and the diner was shut down. He wanted to have their talk. "Dammit, Lorelai!" he yelled, punctuating his words with a slam of his fist on the table. He needed to know what she was thinking because his nerves were slowly gnawing a hole in his stomach.

"Forget this," he said, storming out of his apartment.

Luke walked halfway to Lorelai's house before he realized that he forgot his coat. He wrapped his arms around himself, trying to ward of the chill and propelled himself to walk faster.

As the crap shack came into view, he noticed all the lights on. He wondered if she was even going to bother coming to talk to him or if she was hiding. As he started up the steps, someone ran out the door and almost plowed into him.

"Ahhh!" Rory screamed with her hand over her heart. "Luke! You scared the crap out of me!"

"Sorry, Rory. I just came to see your mom. Is she home?"

"Yeah. Just go on in. I'm going to Lane's for the night so see you later," she said over her shoulder.

Luke made his way up the steps and stood in front of the door, trying to decide if he should knock or not. Figuring it would be best if he knocked, he raised his hand in order to do so when the door flew open, revealing a very surprised Lorelai.

"Luke! I was just coming to see you," she said, flustered by his appearance.

"Yeah, I, uh, wasn't sure, so I decided to, um, come over and see if you were, uh, home," he rambled, wringing his hands.

"Well, we could talk here. This is as good a place as any." She pushed the door open further and said, "Come in."

Luke brushed past her, walking into the living room. He stood waiting for her with his hands on his hips, and his head bowed, eyes on the floor.

Lorelai took a deep breath, closed the door and followed him. She stood watching him, feeling the tension fill in the room. She had a lot to say to him and hoped he would be willing to hear her out and accept her words.

"Luke, would you like something to drink?" she asked, trying to ease the awkwardness.

"Uh, no thanks. I really just came here to talk. I need to know what you're thinking," he said, trying to keep the worry from his voice. He finally ventured a look at her standing in front of him. He saw unease reflected in her eyes. He could tell she was anxious, and he was afraid of what she might say.

She bit her lip, choosing her words wisely. "Okay. Well, I-" she began.

"Listen, Lorelai, if you are just going to blow me off, let me save you the trouble. I'll just go, and we can pretend the kiss never happened."

Her mouth fell open as his words penetrated her mind. She wasn't sure how he came to that conclusion. It was the farthest thing from her mind and she needed to show him.

In two strides, she had grabbed his hand and was dragging him to the couch. "Sit," she commanded, pointing to the cushion. He sat down cautiously, and she plopped next to him, facing his body with her legs tucked underneath her. Luke stared straight ahead.

"Luke," she said, placing a hand on each side of his face and gently turning his head. She wanted him to look at her, so she repeated his name again. His eyes met hers. She studied him for a few moments before placing her hands in her lap.

Keeping eye contact with him, she said, "I can't stop thinking about that kiss, so why would you think I wanted to forget it?"

He searched her eyes before he began to speak. "It seemed too good to be true, and I thought you wanted to be with ..."

He was cut off by a finger on his lips as she whispered, "Shhh." She kept her finger in place as she continued, "Luke, you have no idea." Her finger started tracing his lips slowly. "I was going to come and talk to you tonight about the conclusions I came to." She scooted closer to his body. "I was under this misguided notion that a family picture could only be completed with Chris as the man in my life. I was so wrong." Her finger moved over his scruff. "I realized that you, not Chris, are the one I compared all other men to." She lightly pushed him back against the couch. "Most men don't measure up. You set a high standard, my friend." She swung her leg over to straddle him, leaning close to his face. "You're everything that I have ever desired in a man. It's not Chris. Chris failed me time and again, but you...you are amazing to both Rory and I. I'm sorry it took me so long to see." She brushed a light kiss across his lips, closing her eyes at the sensation. Her eyes popped back open. "Luke," she said, claiming his focus back to her face. She wanted him to have no doubts in his mind of how she felt. "I want you. I want you in my life as more than my coffee provider and friend."

"What exactly _do_ you want, Lorelai?" he said softly, overwhelmed by her closeness. He felt the soft curves of her body pressing into him, and he actually had to concentrate on keeping his breathing even.

She studied him, trying to read in his eyes what he was thinking. At this point, she really had nothing to lose so she plowed on, "I want a relationship with you. I know in the past I haven't been successful with relationships, but it's because I wasn't with the right man."

He took a lock of her hair that was dangling near his face and tucked it behind her ear, grazing her cheek with his hand. "And who is the right man?" he inquired softly, focusing on her lips.

She gave him a brilliant smile that lit up her face and responded with a kiss. Chaste was not currently in her vocabulary. She went straight for the open mouth, tongue tangling, fire igniting kiss, and Luke joined her whole heartedly. She could feel his body responding to the sensations that were causing explosions of desire in very sensitive areas of her body. She began to rain light kisses all over his face, punctuating each kiss with a whispered, "You are."

Luke sat up with her in his lap. She continued her assault on his face and moved on to his neck.

"Lorelai, are you sure?"

"Mhmm."

"Should we, um, go somewhere else?"

She moved off his lap, pulling him with her. She grasped his hand, dragging him behind her up the stairs. Entering her room, she quickly closed the door, leaning back against it. She surveyed him from head to toe. She had no reservations in her mind that this was where she wanted to be, with Luke, here, in her bedroom about to...about to what?

"Luke, what would you call what we're about to do? It's not just about sex, right?" she asked shyly, biting her bottom lip in anticipation of his answer.

The shyness that she was displaying over her question endeared her even more to him. He walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her, staring into her eyes. "For me, I would call it making love. I want to make love to you, Lorelai." With that declaration, he kissed her with all the pent up emotion he was feeling. Never before was he able to act on his passion.

She kissed him back with as much enthusiasm as he gave. She ran her hands through his soft hair, knocking off his cap in the process.

Luke's hands were tangled in her mass of curls as they began to move together toward the bed. He began to kiss down her neck, laving his tongue along her pulse points.

He heard Lorelai whimper which emboldened him to place his hands under her sweater. He felt the goose bumps form over her torso as his hands moved up and down her back, enjoying the softness of her skin.

She brought her hands over her head in invitation for him to pull her sweater off.

He sucked in air as he saw her in the very lacy, almost see through black bra. This was a sight he never thought he would be able to feast his eyes on. He couldn't control his hands from reaching over, palming her breasts and moving his thumbs over her pink buds. He watched in fascination as they hardened even more. She arched into him, moaning her appreciation. He reluctantly pulled his hands away, reaching behind her and snapping her bra open. She scooted the bra down her shoulders, and it fell down her arms onto the floor.

She reached over to him and began to unbutton his flannel shirt. Completing her task, she pushed it over his shoulders, tugging it down his arms and pulled it off. Luke whipped his t-shirt off quickly, and started to unbutton her pants. Lorelai took control, toeing off her shoes and pealing her pants down her legs. Luke followed suit. Both were standing in their underwear, admiring each other. He craved contact again so he pulled her to him. He held her gently, stroking her bare skin tenderly. His hand moved down to lightly cup her bottom through her matching lace panties.

Lorelai's heart rate kicked up a notch at the feel of his skin next to hers. Her thoughts were becoming incoherent as Luke stimulated her body with his hands. Her legs were not going to hold her much longer so she sat down on the edge of the bed, laying back and bringing Luke down on top of her. She ran her hands down his back and onto his perfectly sculpted ass.

Luke began to kiss down her body, paying special attention to her breasts. He nipped and sucked, causing her to writhe underneath him. She felt her whole body flush in pleasure.

"My turn to touch." she said huskily, pushing him onto his back, straddling him.

His eyes widened in surprise at the turn of events. His surprise quickly turned to approval, seeing her nearly naked body on top of him. His appraisal of her beauty turned to strangled groans, feeling her touch him sensually.

Her hands glided over his chest, reveling in the ripple of his muscles. She followed with her fingers the trail of hair that stopped at his boxers. She lifted herself off of him enough to be able to yank his boxers down, throwing them over her shoulder.

Luke rolled her back over, taking control again. He tugged her underwear down her long legs, fitting himself between her thighs. He propped himself on his forearms on either side of her head, lowering himself down on top of her. He kissed her hard, eliciting soft murmurs of gratification.

"God, you're so beautiful," he said, gazing into her eyes.

With her permission, he gently eased himself into her. He allowed the ecstasy of being united with Lorelai in such an intimate way wash over him. He gave ample time for her body to adjust to him, then he began to move.

She wrapped her legs around his body, allowing him to go deeper, hitting all the right spots. Her body started to clench, and she felt the telltale signs of the ultimate pleasure take over her control. She started calling out his name, desiring release.

He moved faster, pushing her over the edge, and he along with her. Both of them attempted to get their breathing under control as the after-shocks pulsed through their bodies. He rained light kisses across her mouth, her cheeks, each eyelid, and put his head down at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, sighing in contentment.

He rolled them onto his back, and she settled herself on his chest, their legs entwined.

She had never felt anything more right, more perfect before. She breathed in his masculine scent, and propped her head on her arm to look at him. She searched his eyes, wanting to appraise his thoughts.

"Hi."

"Hi," he returned, smiling adoringly at her.

"How do you feel about this?" she asked, gesturing between them.

"Lorelai," he paused, choosing the right words. He didn't want to scare her with how intense his feelings truly were. "Like I said before, I have wanted this for a long time. And it's not just about the sex, which by the way was incredible. I've wanted a relationship with you, but I was too scared to make a move."

"Why were you scared?"

"Because it's you. You're beautiful, independent, and a force of nature. And I'm, well, me."

"And," she said trying to get him to continue.

"And that's it."

"You're crazy," she declared. "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her."

Luke arched his eyebrow in question.

She smiled at him. "Yes, it's a movie quote, but it applies here. Except for the fact that I'm lying on top of you instead of standing in front of you."

He ran his hand along her face, cupping her cheek. "Are you asking me to love you, Lorelai?"

She leaned her head into his hand, closing her eyes and whispered, "Yes."

"You got it." He pulled her head down for a sweet kiss filled with promise for the future.

_**FIN**_


End file.
